If you love me for me
by Akatsuki4Ever
Summary: A oneshot about Kotetsu Hagane, cause he needs some love as well. Kotetsu/OC I don't own any of the Naruto characters. I only own my OC's


"But dad," you argue, forgetting the formals. "I haven't been on a mission in ages! All you let me do is paperwork."

"Yes, I know, Lacey," the Lord Hokage sighs. "But you just got out of the hospital. Besides, your last mission was a month ago."

"Yeah, so?" you bite back. "I'm out off the hospital for two weeks now. I took my time to heal and now I want some action!"

With this, you punch your fist in the air above you, as if to prove your point. But it's no use. It's the Hokage you're dealing with. Your father.

"I'm sorry, Lacey. But I don't have any _interesting_ missions at the moment. Besides, _you_ don't have a team."

Touché.

Ever since you became a jounin six years ago, you've had different teams. All temporary, because they all went to teach gennin. Once you asked your father if you could join the ANBU-squad, a special assassination squad, but he wouldn't let you. He admitted you were skilled enough to become a fine ANBU-member. But that would mean he would have to send you on dangerous missions. Something he doesn't want to do.

"Well, aren't there any jounin available?" you try, smiling sweetly. "I'm sure there are enough who would want to go on a mission."  
"I'm sorry, my daughter," he replys in a soft voice. "But…"

'_Daughter'? He never calls me 'my daughter'. And what's with the sudden tone change in his voice?_

"Dad?" you ask softly, walking closer. "What is it?"

But before he can answer, there is a knock on the door. A young man with spiked black hair and a bandage across his face walks in. In his arms a pile of paper.

"I'm sorry," he says as he sees you. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Oh no," you reassure the man. "I was just about to leave." You turn to your father. "Don't worry, Lord Hokage. I won't trouble you about missions anymore. At least, for now," you finish with a wink. Then you leave the room.

The two men stare at the door you went trough, and then the Hokage sighs.

"She's a particular one, isn't she?" he asks the young man.

"Erm…well," he stammers, not knowing what to say. After all, they _are_ talking about the daughter of the great leader of Konohagakure.

"So, what do you have for me, Kotetsu?" the Hokage changes the subject.

"Oh, right," Kotetsu holds up the paperwork. "I was told to bring you this, my lord."

He hands them over and wait for the Hokage to react.

"Thank you, Kotetsu," Hiruzen Sarutobi nods. "You are dismissed."

"Yes sir."

And with that, he leaves.

"I don't see his problem," you complain about your father. "He only gives me minor missions. The kind of missions you gennin should take," you say while pointing to the three students entering Ichi Raku Ramen Shop.

"And because he wouldn't give you a mission, you come and bother me?" is the reply. "Why?"

You snicker at this and stand up.

"Well, because that's what big brothers are for, right?" you ask, sticking out your tongue. "To sit and listen to their sister."

"Very funny, Lacey," Asuma chuckles, his cigarette in the corner of his mouth. "But I'm also a teacher…"

"Yeah, a lousy one."

"So I have to go feed my students," your brother continues, ignoring your comment.

Right on queue, the three gennin walk over to the two off you. First Ino Yamanaka, a pretty girl with long blond hair and blue eyes. Second Chouji Akimichi, a fat boy with reddish brown hair. Though _never_ tell him he's fat! And last but not least, Shikamaru Nara, the lazy genius. These three form team 10. The second generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho Trio, or as Asuma likes to call them; the loudmouth, glutton and slacker.

"Hey Lacey," Ino greets you happily. "Have you found a boyfriend yet?"

"Erm, Ino," you begin as a sweatdrop starts to form on the back of your head. "You ask me that every time you see me. Which is almost every day. And I always give you the same answer, so no."

"How come?" Chouji asks, as he begins to dig in his ramen. "I mean, you're a pretty woman."

"Yeah," Ino chimes in again. "I bet a lot of men would like to kill to date you!"

"Erm, thanks?" you half ask at her comment.

"I mean, you have a pretty face, beautiful shining black hair and a nice body. I really hope I'll turn to look just like you when I'm your age."

At this you blush and it doesn't really help that Asuma is laughing his ass off. Really, it isn't _that_ funny.

"But," Ino continues, "you have to hurry up and find a boyfriend. I mean, time is running out girl."

"What do you mean by _that_, Ino," you ask, offended. "I'm _only_ 24."

"My point exactly. You should have been married by now!"

You open your mouth to say something, but decide against it. It will only provoke her more for you to get a boyfriend. So instead, you turn to eat your ramen and look around. Besides team 10, your brother and you, there are only two other persons in the shop.

"So, what's holding you back, Lacey?"

You look at Shikamaru. This is the first time he's talking about your love life. Usually he's talking to Asuma about strategies and games.

"Well first of," you begin and the three gennin listen carefully. "I have this big scary-looking brother who chases away all candidates." Asuma punches you playfully on the arm as you say this. "But the main reason is because the see me as the daughter of the Hokage. They do not see me as the person I am."

Ino nods and slams her fist in her hand, as is she suddenly understands something.

"I see," she says. "You want someone who will love you for you. Not for your rank or family."

You nod. That's exactly what you mean. But where do you find a good-looking man of your age, who will love you for you? In whoms arms you can feel save and warm? Who you can love with whole your heart?

After a while the three gennin leave, leaving Asuma and you alone. Asuma lights up aother cigarette, while you drink your tea in peace.

"So, am I realy chasing away the guys?" Asuma suddenly asks you, causing you to almost choke on your tea.

"Wha?" you ask, not believing your ears. Now your brother interveres in your love life? How unfair! "Well, you are. Kinda," you answer his question. "I mean, every one knows you were part of the twelve guardians and all and rebelled against his own Hokage, father."

"I see…"

"But I also need to find the right guy, so you're not the only problem," you say with a wink."

Just then two shinobi enter the ramenbar. One with spiked black hair and a bandage across his face. The other has brown hair covering his right eye. As you look at them you blush as recognize the men. Your brother notices this and turns around to see what, or who, causes you to blush. Then he turns around with a devious smirk on his face.

"I think you've already found the right person," he grins. "The only thing you need to _'find'_ is the courage to tell him."

You stay quiet and look at your plate. He always does that. Asuma always reads you like an open book.

"So, for how long have you liked him?"

Again silence.

"Fine, be that way," he pouts, then turn to look at the two men of 24 and 25. "Izumo, Kotetsu," he greets them and they greet back. "Why won't you sit over here? I have to go, but my little sis has to sit alone. So why not keep her company?"

At this, Kotetsu looks at you and nods with a smile.

"Asuma! What do you think you're doing?" you whisper to him angrily, but he just smirks.

"Helping my baby sister ofcourse," he smirks. "Well, off I go. Bye Lacey, gentlemen."

With that he disappears in smoke.

"Basterd," you mumble under your breath, just before the two men stand before your table. "You can sit down you know," you tell them when you notice they keep standing.

"Oh right," Izumo smiles sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm so used to wait for an order, I guess I even do so when my shifts are over."

You smile as they sit down, a blush on your face as you glance at Kotetsu. But what you don't notice is the blush on his face as well.

"We haven't seen much of you, Lacey," Kotetsu says after a short silence. "What have you been up to?"

"Oh you know," you say averting your eyes. "The usual. Training, bothering my brother, bothering my dad for missions, training Konohamaru. Oh, and I was in the hospital for a week."

Both men laugh at this. They know how often you landed in the hospital when you were still a team. Sometimes it was because of them, sometimes you did it yourself. But hey, that's what you get with those two as your teammates. Until you became a Jounin of course.

"Okay, so what did you do _this_ time?" Kotetsu asks as his laughter fades. "Upset your father?"

"Nah, I just over-worked my body, is all," you answer, waving the question away. "So what have you two been up to?"

They explain the things about the Chuunin-exams and their jobs right now, which is pretty boring.

Time flew by as you talked with your old friends, but eventually you go home. As you walk trough the now dark streets you start to sing quietly. With your hands in your pockets you turn a corner.

"Once a lass met a lad

You're a gentle one, said she

In my heart I'd be glad

If you loved me for me

You say your love is true

And I hope that it will be…"

Reaching for your keys you walk to the steps of your front door. Finding them, you pick the right one and open the door of your apartment. Not too big, not too small. You would think that someone with your status, meaning your fathers status, you would have a big house or something. But this is exactly what you want.

While walking into the living room, you take off your green flak-jacket, throwing it over a chair. Then you take the vase with red roses to fill the water. Konohamaru had given them to you on your birthday, knowing those are your favorite flowers.

After a nice warm shower, you fill in some paperwork Asuma had dropped off earlier that day and then go to bed.

"Ne, Kotetsu," you ask slyly as you look at the said male. "What's behind your bandage?"

Three months have passed. During that time you've kept your word to your father. You haven't bothered him about any missions. Not that you have any time for that. You've been too busy keeping an eye out on Konohamaru, your little nephew. Sometimes you even train him, when you feel like it.

But right now, you don't feel like it. This time you're sitting in a tree, being lazy and all. But this time you're not alone. Kotetsu is keeping you company while Konohamaru is fooling around with his friends.

"Oh, nothing special," Kotetsu says as he waves his hands, uninterested.

"Oh come on, let me see," you continue, but Kotetsu just refuses.

After a while you just give up on finding out what's behind his bandage and look over to Konohamaru. At the moment the young boy is trying to catch a cat, but fails miserably. He only gets scratched in the face by doing so.

"He's growing up so fast," you sigh as you watch him play 'ninja' now.

Kotetsu looks up confused, but then he sees what you are looking at and nod.

"Yeah, but that's what kids tend to do."

You look at the man beside you and smile. You remember him as a kid. Kotetsu was such a cutie, especially in his teens. But soon enough he has turned from 'cutie' to 'handsome' to you. And hat in just a couple of years.

"I'm sure he will turn into a handsome man in time," you say as you turn your attention back to your nephew. "The problem is, that the time will come too soon, I'm afraid. That he'll grow up as a strong and handsome ninja and follow his own path."

Next to you, Kotetsu blushes as he debates on what he should say. But you don't notice that. You're too busy waving at Konohamaru.

"Well, he _has_ your genes," the quiet voice of Kotetsu says. "Of course he well be good-looking."

"What do you mean, Kotetsu," you ask as you turn your attention to the now very red Chuunin.

"I mean to say that I, erm, that I," he stammers. For a moment it seems like he won't continue, but he does. "I mean to say that I love you, Lacey," he suddenly blurts out. "I know you don't see me as more than a friend, but I do. I love you. Not for who your father is. Heck, I already liked you before I know about it. And I don't care that you're a Jounin and I a Chuunin. No, I love you for you. For who you really are inside."

You look at Kotetsu in shock. You'd never expected him to have the same feelings, yet he does. He has said so himself.

An awkward silence grows between the two of you. Neither willing to say something. Not _daring_ to say something. You are just too shocked to answer and Kotetsu is just too ashamed.

_I should have kept my mouth shut. Now look __where it has brought me_, he scowls at himself.

Kotetsu could just smack himself in the head. In his twenty-four years he has done many stupid things, he admits. But to confess his love to Lacey, really takes the cake. What was he thinking!

"I guess this changes everything between the two of us," eventually say, looking at anything but Kotetsu. "I mean, now I know how you really feel about me."

There is another silence, though this time it's just a short one. Then Kotetsu mutters an 'I guess so'.

You finally glance at Kotetsu for a moment, before opening you mouth again.

"You know, I never thought you would ever think of me as more than a friend," you begin softly, causing the man to look at you. "But now I know you do, so I don't have to hide my feelings anymore."

Upon hearing this, the black-haired ninja looks shocked. Was this woman next to him really saying what he thinks she's saying? You smile at the male and lean back a little, putting the weight of your upper body on your arms.

"What I mean to say is, I like you too, Kotetsu Hagane," you continue. "I'm not sure if I could use the word 'love', but who knows. Things could change. All I know is that I really like you. I definitely like more than a friend."

Without thinking anymore, Kotetsu leans in closer to you. You don't stop him though. You've been waiting for him to kiss you for a while. It doesn't even matter that the two of you are sitting on a branch in a tree.

"Hey aunt Lacey," the shout of Konohamaru interrupts the moment, startling the two adults in the tree.

With a yelp, you fall down, taking Kotetsu with you. Luckily you weren't up that high, so the impact doesn't hurt much. You look at Konohamaru for a moment, glaring at the boy. Then you kiss Kotetsu, ignoring your nephew.

"Oh please, get a room," you hear him mutter, but you don't care. You're with Kotetsu and that's all that matters right now.

Picture of Lacey, drawn by me: .com/art/Lacey-Sarutobi-Colour-102640553


End file.
